Central Montana Times

Senator Steve Daines has introduced the "Repealing Illegal Freedom and Liberty Excises (RIFLE) Act," a bill aimed at eliminating a tax on firearms regulated under the National Firearms Act (NFA). "It is unconstitutional for this Administration to punish law-abiding Montanans with burdensome regulations that make it impossible for them to exercise their Second Amendment rights. I strongly oppose this unnecessary tax from President Biden and stand with Montanans’ right to lawfully possess firearms," said Daines.

The NFA, enacted in 1934, regulates short-barreled shotguns and rifles, fully automatic firearms, suppressors, and certain explosives. Besides background checks and registration requirements, the NFA imposes a $200 tax on these items. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has acknowledged that the tax was initially intended "to curtail, if not prohibit, transactions" of such firearms. Adjusted for inflation, the $200 tax from 1934 is equivalent to $4,648 today.

Since 2018, ownership of NFA-regulated items has increased by more than 250%, as more sportsmen, shooters, and firearm enthusiasts exercise their Second Amendment rights. The RIFLE Act seeks only to remove this financial burden while leaving existing background checks and registration requirements intact.

The legislation has received endorsements from the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF).